Skip to content   Skip to footer navigation 

Is expensive luggage worth it?

We look at whether cheap suitcases will do the job, what spending more really gets you, plus our best buys under $200.

illustration_of_suitcase_and_dollar_signs
Last updated: 28 March 2024

The type of luggage you take on holiday can make a real difference to the level of enjoyment and ease (or stress) you'll experience on your holiday, particularly when travelling to and from your destination. 

Stiff handles, hard-to-manoeuvre cases or simply just too small, it's important to choose wisely and pick a case that's up to the job. 

If your suitcase is on its last legs, you're probably dreading having to spend money on a replacement rather than on more margaritas on the beach. 

And with prices ranging from as low as $40 up to many hundreds of dollars, how do you know if you can get away with one at the cheaper end of the spectrum? 

You could buy the $39 Kmart carry-on plus return flights from Sydney to Melbourne, and you still wouldn't have spent as much as the most expensive suitcases in our test

"You could buy the $39 Kmart carry-on plus return flights from Sydney to Melbourne, and you still wouldn't have spent as much as the most expensive suitcases in our test," says CHOICE luggage tester Matthew Tung. 

Our experts recently reviewed more than 30 of the latest carry-on and check-in suitcases from brands such as Antler, Samsonite, American Tourister and Kmart, assessing them on everything from how easy they are to roll and move, how easily they're damaged, and how they fare in the rain. 

Which means they're perfectly positioned to answer the essential traveller question: does paying more really get you a better suitcase? 

Want a big-name brand? Check the sales

Before we get into the differences between cheap and expensive suitcases, our testers have a tip that's important to know upfront.

While some suitcases may have a recommended retail price that's higher than your actual flight, the RRP is not a good indicator of how much you should expect to spend on luggage.

Expensive suitcases are almost always on sale, so there's rarely any reason to pay full price

"Expensive suitcases are almost always on sale, so there's rarely any reason to pay full price," says CHOICE expert Kim Gilmour.

"While hard-shell suitcases from the big brands still aren't cheap even with a hefty discount, if you shop around you should be able to find a price that's well below the RRP." 

Keep an eye out for good deals coming up in the end of financial year sales, or around Black Friday and Boxing Day. 

What are the differences between cheap and expensive suitcases?

Weight

When you're trying to squeeze in under the weight limit for your budget Jetstar flight, every gram counts. This is especially important if you're travelling just with carry-on – you don't want most of your allowance taken up before you've even started packing.

You also want your bags to be as light and manageable as possible if you'll be lugging them on and off trains and buses, or dragging them across multiple airports and transfers.

You'd imagine that expensive suitcases might have the edge over cheaper ones in terms of weight due to the more expensive materials used, or special designs that can reduce weight. 

Indeed, the two lightest carry-on suitcases we tested were from Samsonite:

But the $40 Kmart carry on case weighs only 2.2kg and is roughly the same size as these two Samsonite suitcases, so the extra money doesn't necessarily buy you a significantly lighter case.

Style and features

There's no denying you'll likely get a more sophisticated design and more options for colours, styles and sizes with more expensive luggage. And a brightly-coloured or distinctive case is easier to spot in a sea of luggage at the baggage terminal. 

More expensive suitcases usually come with features such as luxe linings, extra pockets, good-quality zippers, locking mechanisms and handy compartments that you might not find in cheaper products. 

Two pricey Samsonite cases we tested even came with in-built USB-A ports you could connect your devices to for on-the-go charging

Pricier suitcases also often come with a TSA lock that allows you to lock your luggage while permitting security authorities to inspect it without damage. The carry-on suitcases we tested that cost under $100 from Kmart and Big W did not include this feature. 

Two pricey Samsonite cases we tested even came with in-built USB-A ports you could connect your devices to for on-the-go charging, and some have linings made from recycled materials. 

But it depends what's more important to you: a swish suitcase, or more money to spend on your holiday?

How our experts test suitcases

CHOICE experts use specialised equipment to run durability tests on carry-on and check-in luggage. Suitcases get dropped, rained on, dragged around and generally knocked about under test conditions so we can find the best quality brands. 

Durability

Suitcases can take quite a beating when they're being tossed around by luggage handlers between flights or dragged on and off trains, so it's a good idea to choose a case that's durable.

To test how each suitcase stacks up in this regard, our experts use a range of specialised equipment and tests to drop them, drag them and generally knock them about to see how they perform. 

In our 'lift and drop' test we load suitcases with clothes, then drop them wheels-first from a height of 90cm onto a concrete floor 300 times. 

The vast majority of suitcases we tested, including the $39 Kmart carry-on case, scored a perfect 100% in this test, which means they came out unscathed. But a few received a borderline score due to sustaining major cracks or even broken wheels.

We load suitcases with clothes, then drop them wheels-first from a height of 90cm onto a concrete floor 300 times

The advantage of investing in a more expensive suitcase is that it'll usually come with a warranty of up to 10 years, which means you can get a repair or replacement if the suitcase is faulty. Note though that this doesn't cover normal wear and tear or damage inflicted by an airline, for example, so check the terms and conditions.

And premium luggage may last you longer than cheaper brands, as the manufacturers are likely to invest more in technology and design and use higher quality materials.

The cheapest and best carry-on suitcases under $200

CHOICE members can access detailed reviews from our luggage test to discover which suitcases impressed our experts the most. 

Become a CHOICE member or sign in to see the results from our latest carry-on luggage test, including the CHOICE Expert Rating; results for the lift and drop test and puncture test; and other features that make these three suitcases stand out options for anyone looking to spend less on luggage, so they can spend more on their holiday (or margaritas).

locked content

Unlock this article and more

  • Information you can trust
  • See the best brands
  • Avoid the worst performers

Stock images: Getty, unless otherwise stated.

Results from our carry-on suitcase test

You might be surprised to learn that despite drastically different price points, all the products we tested performed well, scoring between 72% and 87%. 

With this relatively small difference between scores in this test, it's safe to say that any of these products is a good buy. How much you spend on one of these suitcases ultimately comes down to what you're looking for and how big your budget is. 

It's safe to say that any of the products in our test is a good buy

And the cheaper products weren't necessarily at the bottom of the heap: the $39 Kmart Anko hard case scored 81%, outperforming products costing many times more, and scoring the same as a $335 Samsonite case.

Below you'll find the three most affordable suitcases from our test, so you can see how well a suitcase costing less than $200 performs. If you're an infrequent traveller or you're on a limited budget, these are the best buys for your money.

kmart-anko-carry-on-hard-case-4-wheels-43114962_1

Kmart Anko Carry-on Hard Case, $39.

1. Kmart Anko Carry-on Hard Case 4 Wheels 55cm

  • CHOICE Expert Rating: 81%
  • Lift and drop test: 100%
  • Puncture test: 94%
  • Weight: 2.2kg
  • Price: $39

It might not look as pretty as some of the more expensive suitcases and it's only available in one colour (charcoal), but this Kmart carry-on is a quiet achiever.

A suitcase this cheap performing so well in comparison with expensive suitcases is no small feat. In fact, it received the same score as the Samonsite Octolite suitcase, which, at $335 (RRP), costs almost 10 times more.

With four wheels and a zipper head that can be locked with a padlock (not included), it's also very good at keeping contents dry in the rain, so has the basics covered.

Read the Kmart Anko Carry-on Hard Case 4 Wheels review.

swiss-alps-candy-small-trolleycase-334036_1

Swiss Alps Candy Small Trolleycase, $65.

2. Swiss Alps Candy Small Trolleycase

  • CHOICE Expert Rating: 81%
  • Lift and drop test: 100%
  • Puncture test: 91%
  • Weight: 2.4kg
  • Price: $65

This Big W buy looks sleek with its hard shell available in a few trendy colours – white, lavender and spearmint – to help you find it at the baggage carousel. 

Its cheap price tag, along with features such as four wheels, a three-digit combination lock (not a TSA lock) and a perfect score in our lift and drop test make it an enticing bargain buy.

Read the Swiss Alps Candy Small Trolleycase review

nere-stori-55cm-exp-hard-case_1

Nere Stori 55cm Exp Hard Case, $200.

3. Nere Stori 55cm Exp Hard Case

  • CHOICE Expert Rating: 85%
  • Lift and drop test: 100%
  • Puncture test: 96%
  • Weight: 3.2kg
  • Price: $200

Although this carry-on number is about a kilo heavier than other carry-ons we tested, it's recommended by our experts due to its performance in all our tests. 

It's a good step up from the Kmart and Big W products if you have a bit more to spend but want to stay around the $200 mark. 

Available in 10 colours, with a TSA lock, four wheels and expandable size, it also comes with a 10-year warranty.

Read the full Nere Stori 55cm Exp Hard Case review.

Stock images: Getty, unless otherwise stated.